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Draft  | Prospect Scouting Reports  | 4/22/2016

2016 MLB Draft Pack: April 22

David Rawnsley      Jheremy Brown      Patrick Ebert     
Photo: Perfect Game

Once a week leading up to the 2016 MLB Draft Perfect Game will provide detailed scouting reports, and video (when available) on 10 of the top draft-eligible prospects. The first report each week will be available for free, the rest can be viewed with a PG Insider subscription. To learn more about Perfect Game's subscription packages and to sign up today please visit this link.

Previous MLB Draft Packs:

March 18: Josh Lowe, Matt Manning, A.J. Puk, Nick Senzel, Mike Shawaryn, Alex Speas, Bryan Reynolds, Blake Rutherford, Taylor Trammell, Robert Tyler.
March 25: Braxton Garrett, Dakota Hudson, Connor Jones, Reggie Lawson, Kyle Lewis, Drew Mendoza, Mickey Moniak, Corey Ray, Buddy Reed, Forrest Whitley
April 1: Bryson Brigman, Zack Collins, Carlos Cortes, Jason Groome, Daulton Jefferies, Chris Okey, Delvin Perez, Nicholas Quintana, Cole Ragans, Logan Shore
April 8: Will Benson, Austin Bergner, Zack Burdi, Luis Curbelo, Zac Gallen, Anfernee Grier, Zach Jackson, Nolan Jones, Riley Pint, Matt Thaiss
April 15: Nick Banks, Ryan Boldt, Ben Bowden, Kevin Gowdy, Cooper Johnson, Charles King, Eric Lauer, Joe Rizzo, Walker Robbins, Jordan Sheffield

Prospects covered this week: Ian Anderson, Bo Bichette, Justin Dunn, Lucas Erceg, David Hamilton, Alec Hansen, Cole Irvin, Alexis Torres, Ryan Zeferjahn, T.J. Zeuch





Ian Anderson – RHP

Height/Weight: 6-3/170
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: May 2, 1998
High School: Shenendehowa
Hometown: Rexford, N.Y.
Travel Team: Clifton Park Knights
Commitment: Vanderbilt
Projected Draft Round: 1

When a college coach goes out looking at a recruit they aren’t always lighting up the radar guns when they commit, but when you take their present stuff, feel, looseness, and projectability, among other variables, coaches can often feel comfortable enough in pulling the trigger and offering a player. And though you can often anticipate a velocity jump coming, coaches have their fingers crossed that it comes during the fall of their freshman year in college and not during the summer leading up to their senior year of high school or during the spring. I mention this because when Ian Anderson committed to the Vanderbilt Commodores at the beginning of his junior season he had worked in the 85-88 mph range to that point, and could touch higher, but now almost a year and a half later Anderson has firmly planted himself in the first round among the best players the amateur side has to offer.

As expected, the velocity gains started to come and came rather rapidly as he went from 91 mph in October of 2014 to 93 mph in June of 2015 before capping off the summer circuit with a best bolt of 95 mph in August at the Perfect Game All-American Classic. And though he’s only taken the bump a couple of times so far this spring, Anderson has continued to show an uptick in velocity as multiple reports had the ultra-projectable righthander touching 97 mph in his second start of the year.

Arguably one of the top arms and most consistent performers on the summer circuit last year, Anderson has been regarded as one of the best and has continued to climb the Perfect Game rankings to his current No. 5 spot in 2016. Listed at a long and lean 6-foot-3, 170-pounds according to his profile page, Anderson exudes projectability, especially as he continues to fill out with physical strength strength in both his upper and lower halves.

The ability to throw as hard as he does now given his physical stature points to how sound his mechanics are with solid incorporation of his lower half, as well as just how fast and loose his right arm truly is. And on top of the consistent velocity, Anderson is able to generate late sinking life to his fastball to the bottom of the zone courtesy of his high arm slot and excellent extension out front.

Anderson’s fastball is just the tip of the iceberg however as both of his off-speed pitches will show above average at present, and it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch of the imagination for them to project as such long term. His curveball ranks among the best in the 2016 high school crop as it’s an upper-70s offering with sharp, late bite to the bottom of the zone that garners swings and misses with tight spin out of his hand. Though he didn’t show his changeup at the National Showcase last June, Anderson did feature the potential plus offering throughout the circuit season, and the low- to mid-80s pitch is capable of eliciting empty swings with late diving life.

When we talk about a Northeast prep arm words such as “fresh” and “raw” are usually thrown around. And while the right arm on the upstate New York native is still relatively fresh with limited innings, he’s as far away from being raw as a high school pitcher can be and that’s something scouts have most definitely taken note of. (JB)


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